It has come to my Notice that the National Council for Higher Education in Uganda has deliberately failed to harmonize the grading system of all Universities in Uganda. This has caused lots of disparities and great discontent among students and the career world at large.
This failure to harmonize the grading system favors the students who are in the mushrooming Universities and yet those in the longstanding Universities like Makerere are not favored at all in terms of the Job market and Career development in further studies more so abroad.

On a factual point, Lots of Universities have been certified to operate offering lots of degree and diploma programs across thecountry , However they all have different products of students despite the same courses or programs they have undertaken. For example, a student of Information Technology from Makerere University may be incomparable to a student of the same course in Nkumba University in different aspects and this varies across all programs. While as Nkumba Universitry categorically grades her students ranging from A to C, Makerere University grades her students from A to F. its therefore common to find a stundent from Nkumba University scoring B with 55% as a grade mark while as in Makerere 55% is a D+. Consequently, Nkumba University will produce more first class degrees and Second Class Uppers with such grades. At such a point Students from such Universities are awarded certified transcripts which bare no marks but the grades only having attained First class Degrees and Second Class upper Honors but with the least grade they attained in the mushrooming Universities. Now The very students face those other students with pass degrees and Second class lowers of those Historical Universities in the same competitive Job environment.

What makes it unfair are the employers who a times specify that we only want first class degrees not to mention Masters programs and scholarship opportunities within and abroad that frequently specify a first class Degree or a Second class upper.

Its therefore correct to argue that its better to study in these new universities and get afirst class certified degree and increase your opportunities for seeking further education on merit abroad than studying at Makerere University and miss out on these opportunities. Surely does it matter any more., is it of any Use and how then is Makerere enabling her students get the opportunities to seek further studies with such a grading system far much higher that all institutions which are giving the same qualification. Furthermore Makerere University worsens the disparity when if employing lecturers, they consequently drop their own first class Degrees due to better "Transcript Grades of First class Degrees of other institutions" As a student Where do I benefit from High grading then?

I think the time is now for the National-council for higher learning to wake up and take action about this injustice and unfairness to the students before it gets out of hand. There is a great need for a fair platform where all students after University can compete favorably in the job market and career opportunities. Otherwise it will be prudent to study from Makerere and transfer grades to a mushrooming University for a transcript and graduation after a good grading.

"For God and My Country"

Kakaire Wilber
Makerere University
Uganda
Jinja